Investigation of antibacterial & antioxidant activity for methanolic extract from different edible plant species in Palestine

             Medicinal plants are finding their way into pharmaceutical derivatives, cosmetics and food supplements. The present study was undertaken to investigate the leave extracts of eleven plant species;  Malva sherardiana, Plumbago europaea,  Ephedra alata,  Arum Palestinum , Centaurea dumulosa ,  Eruca Sativa, Teucrium polium,  Bupleurum subovatum ,  Geranium robertianum , Ononis speciosa and Plumbago auriculata  for their potential activity against human bacterial pathogens and antioxidant efficiency.  The crude extract of the plant leaves and selected antibiotic was evaluated against five different bacterial pathogens : Staphylococcus aureus, (gram positive), Escherichia coli, Proteus mirabilis, Klebsiella sp., and Pseudomonas aeroginosa (gram negative) using agar well diffusion method. The Gram – positive bacteria S. aureus showed the higher susceptibility of inhibition with  most plant extracts mainly  Plumbago europaea methanol extract  with zone of 12 mm,  Centaurea dumulosa extract with 10 mm inhibition zone and Ononis speciosa with 6 mm inhibition zone. whereas Gram – negative bacteria; E. coli  and P. aeruginosa showed some degree of susceptibility only for extracts of  Centaurea dumulosa, and Klebsiella sp. Showed  a little degree of inhibition with 2 mm zone for extracts of Bupleurum subovatum. In DPPH ( free radical scavenging assay ) for antioxidant evaluation for each plant extract ; Eruca Sativa had the lowest IC50 value which was 11.74 μg/mL  the closest value to Trolox IC50 , Ephedra alata & Teucrium polium had also relatively potent antioxidant activity with 15.85 & 15.13 μg/mL  IC50 value respectively. On the other hand Plumbago auriculata was considered as the weakest plant on free radical scavenging assay with 83.56 μg/mL  for IC50 value. Other investigated medicinal plants showed relatively moderate free radical scavenging activity. This study support the use of these herbal plants traditionally to cure some infectious diseases, mainly caused by Gram – positive bacterium and also as antioxidant agents

Korrektur eines skelettal offenen Bisses mit kombiniertem Therapiekonzept

Die zunehmende Zahl erwachsener Patienten mit behandlungsbedürftigen Bissanomalien macht es angesichts des abgelaufenen skelettalen Wachstums und der somit fehlenden Möglichkeit zur therapeutischen Wachstumsbeeinflussung häufig notwendig, dass kieferchirurgische Maßnahmen in die Therapie miteinbezogen werden. Die Entscheidung für eine kombinierte kieferorthopädisch-kieferchirurgische Therapie hängt nicht nur von ästhetischen, sondern auch von funktionellen Aspekten ab. Das Ergebnis und dessen Stabilität müssen in Betracht genommen werden, sodass der Aufwand und das damit verbundene Behandlungsrisiko mit dem Endergebnis in Relation gestellt werden

Inner Child, Self-Esteem, and Mental Health in Jordanian University Students

The study investigated the influence of the inner child on the mental health of Jordanian university students, considering the mediating role of self-esteem. Using a descriptive analytical survey method, a simple random sample of 625 Jordanian university students was utilized. The study employed three scales: the inner child scale (18 items), the mental health scale (15 items), and the Rosenberg self-esteem scale (10 items). Findings revealed that Jordanian university students demonstrated a high level of awareness of their inner child, mental health, and self-esteem. Statistical analysis indicated no significant differences (α ≤ 0.05) in the impact of inner child awareness on the mental health of Jordanian university students, considering the mediating role of self-esteem, based on variables such as sex, college, and educational level. Moreover, the study identified a positive correlation between inner child awareness and mental health, as well as a positive association between self-esteem and mental health. Consequently, the study recommends several actions, including conducting a longitudinal study to explore the impact of the inner child across various life stages (childhood, adolescence, youth, and old age)

Content validation of an enterprise architecture (ea) readiness assessment instrument

Although Enterprise Architecture (EA) is becoming an important agenda to align business with information technology plan, not many organisations, especially in the public sector, are ready to implement it. Therefore, there is a need to identify the readiness factors that affect the implementation of EA in the Malaysian Public Sector (MPS). Even though the readiness factors identified are influenced by a previous study, the instrument used to validate the factors needs to be re-evaluated to increase the probability of obtaining a supportive construct validity. Thus, the objective of this study is to present the content validity of an EA readiness instrument designed to validate EA readiness factors. This study used the content validity index (CVI) to quantify the relevance of EA readiness factors. To examine the content validity in the judgement stage, professional individual judgement is required. Questionnaires with four-point Likert scale were used for collecting feedback from experts. Item–Content Validation Index (ICVI) was used to check the validity of individual factors and items for MPS with experts' feedback. Seven experts with information system background specifically in EA and having a wide experience on EA implementation were selected to participate in this study. The result showed that all 14 factors and 42 items scored above 0.857, suggesting that the instrument is valid and accepted for further studies

FBPP: Software To Design PCR Primers and Probes for Nucleic Acid Base Detection of Foodborne Pathogens

Foodborne pathogens can be found in various foods, and it is important to detect foodborne pathogens to provide a safe food supply and to prevent foodborne diseases. The nucleic acid base detection method is one of the most rapid and widely used methods in the detection of foodborne pathogens; it depends on hybridizing the target nucleic acid sequence to a synthetic oligonucleotide (probes or primers) that is complementary to the target sequence. Designing primers and probes for this method is a preliminary and critical step. However, new bioinformatics tools are needed to automate, specific and improve the design sets to be used in the nucleic acid‒base method. Thus, we developed foodborne pathogen primer probe design (FBPP), an open-source, user-friendly graphical interface Python-based application supported by the SQL database for foodborne pathogen virulence factors, for (i) designing primers/probes for detection purposes, (ii) PCR and gel electrophoresis photo simulation, and (iii) checking the specificity of primers/probes

Statistical optimization of alginate immobilization process of candida stauntonica strain MY1 for bioethanol production

In this study a new yeast strain was isolated from Egyptian sugarcane molasses for its high capability of bioethanol fermentation,under anaerobic conditions.It was identified on the basis of its 18S rDNA to be Candida stauntonica MY1 (Accession No.KM657091). The central composite face centered design CCFD matrix and response surface methodology were applied in designing and optimizing the process of calcium-alginate immobilization of MY1 yeast cells to maximize its bioethanol productivity from glucose and evaluate the influence and interactive effect of three critical immobilization parameters; bead size (diameter,mm),initial inoculum size (g/L) and alginate concentration (g/L) on the bioethanol yield. Three quadratic model equations have been predicted ending out how statistically significant the effects of these variables (factors) and their interactions are in practice. The validity of the predicted models was confirmed. The optimum conditions for cell immobilization were found to be 2.5mm, 2.5 g/L and 5.5g/L,respectively. That produced 4.4 g/L bioethanol,with actual yield of 41.9% i.e. YP/S0.42g ethanol/g glucose, which was about 2.3 fold higher than that produced with free cells batch fermentation operated under the same conditions;48 h, pH5.5, 30oC and 100rpm. The immobilized cells showed good stability, with long storage time 21d and can be used for four successive batches with maximum bioethanol productivity

Circulating calprotectin levels four months after severe and non-severe COVID-19.

BACKGROUND Calprotectin is an inflammatory marker mainly released by activated neutrophils that is increased in acute severe COVID-19. After initial recovery, some patients have persistent respiratory impairment with reduced diffusion capacity of the lungs for carbon monoxide (DLCO) months after infection. Underlying causes of this persistent impairment are unclear. We aimed to investigate the correlation between circulating calprotectin, persistent lung functional impairment and intensive care unit (ICU) stay after COVID-19 in two university hospital centres in Switzerland. METHODS Calprotectin levels were measured in serum from 124 patients (50% male) from the Bern cohort (post-ICU and non-ICU patients) and 68 (76% male) from the Lausanne cohort (only post-ICU patients) four months after COVID-19. Calprotectin was correlated with clinical parameters. Multivariate linear regression (MLR) was performed to evaluate the independent association of calprotectin in different models. RESULTS Overall, we found that post-ICU patients, compared to non-ICU, were significantly older (age 59.4 ± 13.6 (Bern), 60.5 ± 12.0 (Lausanne) vs. 48.8 ± 13.4 years) and more obese (BMI 28.6 ± 4.5 and 29.1 ± 5.3 vs. 25.2 ± 6.0 kg/m2, respectively). 48% of patients from Lausanne and 44% of the post-ICU Bern cohort had arterial hypertension as a pre-existing comorbidity vs. only 10% in non-ICU patients. Four months after COVID-19 infection, DLCO was lower in post-ICU patients (75.96 ± 19.05% predicted Bern, 71.11 ± 18.50% Lausanne) compared to non-ICU (97.79 ± 21.70% predicted, p < 0.01). The post-ICU cohort in Lausanne had similar calprotectin levels when compared to the cohort in Bern (Bern 2.74 ± 1.15 µg/ml, Lausanne 2.49 ± 1.13 µg/ml vs. non-ICU 1.86 ± 1.02 µg/ml; p-value < 0.01). Calprotectin correlated negatively with DLCO (r= -0.290, p < 0.001) and the forced vital capacity (FVC) (r= -0.311, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS Serum calprotectin is elevated in post-ICU patients in two independent cohorts and higher compared to non-ICU patients four months after COVID-19. In addition, there is a negative correlation between calprotectin levels and DLCO or FVC. The relationship between inflammation and lung functional impairment needs further investigations. TRIAL REGISTRATION NCT04581135

Incidence and prognostic significance of hypoxemia in fibrotic interstitial lung disease: an international cohort study.

BACKGROUND Hypoxemia is a cardinal feature of fibrotic interstitial lung disease (ILD). The incidence, progression, and prognostic significance of hypoxemia in patients with fibrotic ILD is currently unknown. RESEARCH QUESTION What are the epidemiology of hypoxemia and its additive prognostic value in current risk prediction model in fibrotic ILD? METHODS We identified 848 patients with fibrotic ILD (258 with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF)) in five prospective ILD registries from Australia, Canada, and Switzerland. Cumulative incidence of exertional and resting hypoxemia from the time of diagnosis was estimated at 1-year intervals in patients with baseline 6-minute walk tests, adjusted for competing risks of death and lung transplantation. Likelihood ratio tests were used to determine the prognostic significance of exertional and resting hypoxemia for 1-year mortality/transplantation when added to the ILD-GAP model. The cohort was divided into derivation and validation subsets to evaluate performance characteristics of the extended model (the "ILD-GAP-O2" model), which included oxygenation status as a predictor. RESULTS The 1-, 2-, and 5-year overall cumulative incidence was 6.1%, 17.3%, and 40.1% for exertional hypoxemia, and 2.4%, 5.6%, and 16.5% for resting hypoxemia, which were significantly higher in IPF patients compared to non-IPF patients (p<0.001 for both). Addition of exertional or resting hypoxemia to the ILD-GAP model improved 1-year mortality/transplantation prediction (p<0.001 for both). The ILD-GAP-O2 model had improved discrimination (C-index of 0.80 vs 0.75) and model fit (Akaike information criteria of 400 vs 422) in the validation cohort, with comparable calibration. INTERPRETATION IPF patients have higher cumulative incidence of exertional and resting hypoxemia than non-IPF patients. The extended ILD-GAP-O2 model provides additional risk stratification for 1-year prognosis in fibrotic ILD

Risk Factors for Recurrent Exacerbations in the General-Practitioner-Based Swiss Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Cohort.

BACKGROUND Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) often suffer from acute exacerbations. Our objective was to describe recurrent exacerbations in a GP-based Swiss COPD cohort and develop a statistical model for predicting exacerbation. METHODS COPD cohort demographic and medical data were recorded for 24 months, by means of a questionnaire-based COPD cohort. The data were split into training (75%) and validation (25%) datasets. A negative binomial regression model was developed using the training dataset to predict the exacerbation rate within 1 year. An exacerbation prediction model was developed, and its overall performance was validated. A nomogram was created to facilitate the clinical use of the model. RESULTS Of the 229 COPD patients analyzed, 77% of the patients did not experience exacerbation during the follow-up. The best subset in the training dataset revealed that lower forced expiratory volume, high scores on the MRC dyspnea scale, exacerbation history, and being on a combination therapy of LABA + ICS (long-acting beta-agonists + Inhaled Corticosteroids) or LAMA + LABA (Long-acting muscarinic receptor antagonists + long-acting beta-agonists) at baseline were associated with a higher rate of exacerbation. When validated, the area-under-curve (AUC) value was 0.75 for one or more exacerbations. The calibration was accurate (0.34 predicted exacerbations vs 0.28 observed exacerbations). CONCLUSION Nomograms built from these models can assist clinicians in the decision-making process of COPD care

Clinical characteristics governing treatment adjustment in COPD patients: results from the Swiss COPD cohort study

BACKGROUND: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a widespread chronic disease characterised by irreversible airway obstruction [1]. Features of clinical practice and healthcare systems for COPD patients can vary widely, even within similar healthcare structures. The Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) strategy is considered the most reliable guidance for the management of COPD and aims to provide treating physicians with appropriate insight into the disease. COPD treatment adaptation typically mirrors the suggestions within the GOLD guidelines, depending on how the patient has been categorised. However, the present study posits that the reasons for adjusting COPD-related treatment are hugely varied. OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to assess the clinical symptoms that govern both pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatment changes in COPD patients. Using this insight, the study offers suggestions for optimising COPD management through the implementation of GOLD guidelines. METHODS: In this observational cohort study, 24 general practitioners screened 260 COPD patients for eligibility from 2015–2019. General practitioners were asked to collect general information from patients using a standardised questionnaire to document symptoms. During a follow-up visit, the patient’s symptoms and changes in therapy were assessed and entered into a central electronic database. Sixty-five patients were removed from the analysis due to exclusion criteria, and 195 patients with at least one additional visit within one year of the baseline visit were included in the analysis. A change in therapy was defined as a change in either medication or non-medical treatment, such as pulmonary rehabilitation. Multivariable mixed models were used to identify associations between given symptoms and a step up in therapy, a step down, or a step up and a step down at the same time. RESULTS: For the 195 patients included in analyses, a treatment adjustment was made during 28% of visits. In 49% of these adjustments, the change in therapy was a step up, in 33% a step down and in 18% a step up (an increase) of certain treatment factors and a step down (a reduction) of other prescribed treatments at the same time. In the multivariable analysis, we found that the severity of disease was linked to the probability of therapy adjustment: patients in GOLD Group C were more likely to experience an increase in therapy compared to patients in GOLD Group A (odds ratio [OR] 3.43 [95% confidence interval {CI}: 1.02–11.55; p = 0.135]). In addition, compared to patients with mild obstruction, patients with severe (OR 4.24 [95% CI: 1.88–9.56]) to very severe (OR 5.48 [95% CI: 1.31–22.96]) obstruction were more likely to experience a therapy increase (p 999; p = 0.109]). CONCLUSIONS: This cohort study provides insight into the management of patients with COPD in a primary care setting. COPD Group C and airflow limitation GOLD 3–4 were both associated with an increase in COPD treatment. In patients with comorbidities, there were often no treatment changes. Exacerbations did not make therapy increases more probable. The presence of neither cough/sputum nor high CAT scores was associated with a step up in treatment